Fruit and vegetable rack and vapor spray



Aug. 13, 1929. w. M. WHITE ,153

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE RACK AND VAPOR SPRAY Filed June 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l %:/%07ZZZZ ,NVENTOR A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 13, 1929. w. M. WHITE 1,724,153

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE RACK AND VAPOR SPRAY Filed June 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. WHITE, OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE BACK AND VAPOR S PRAY.

Application filed June 4, 1928. Serial No. 282,569.

My invention pertains to improvements in display racks and water vapor spray 1n conjunction therewith.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a display rack or stand for supporting improved baskets, trays and shelves in and upon which perishable flowers, fruits, vegetables and the like may be disposed and kept in fresh condition. To provide a device in which the minute stream of water forming the spray is directed upwardly igainst a spherical baffle from which the mist thus formed floats outwardly and downwardly and envelops the articles disposed upon' the rack. To provide means for displaying fruits and keeping them fresh but protecting them from direct contact with the moisture from the spray. To provide a device of the class described ijvhichis simple and comparatively inexpensivein construction, manufacture, shipping, installation and operation; which is new, novel, strong, durable, reliable and of utility; which can lie easily and quickly cleaned, dismantled and re-assembled, does not easily get out of order;

which can be compactly handled and shipped in a'knockeddown condition; and which is efiicient for the purposes for which it is intended.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists of the construction, novel features and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the appended two sheets of drawings and specifically pointed out in the claims hereunto appended, it is to be understood that the drawings are merely for illustrative purposes anti not to be considered restrictive; and that various changes in the form, proportion, size, shape, weight and other minor details of construction within the scope of my invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or principle of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front ele vational view; Fig. 2 is an end elevational view; Fig. 3. is a perspective view of a bas ket; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a tray; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a supporting rack for the tray; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a shelf-rack and Fig. 7 is an elevational view of a vapor nozzle showing the drip cup in section.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in all the figures.

Some of the principal objections to devices now used in a manner for a similar purpose are: That the remote end of the nozzle point-s downwardly causing the spray from the nozzle to play upon a convex deflector mounted on legs within a concave receptacle with the operative face of said convex defiector protruding above the side of the receptacle. This causes much of the diffused water to form in drops rather than vapor or spray and has the effect of keeping the vegetables and articles sought to be preserved to substantially a constant bath of water instead of simply being cooled by a vapor spray. Under my device the nozzle shoots the water through the restricted valve opening therein upwardly against a ball or similarly shaped substance thereby causing the stream to be vaporized. The water in its upward course, before striking said ball shaped surface, goes through a central openmg 13 in drip cup 12 and the drops of water always seeking their level will fall clownwardly from said ball-shaped surface and be caught in cup 12 and be carried off in drain pipe 14: into drain pipe 2. This prevents all of the water, except the mere vapor, from eominginto contact with the vegetables and the like and prevents their being saturated with water and from having a perpetual bath of water thereon.

The device consists of the supporting rack or display stand 1 preferably constructed of standard angle irons, well braced and secured in the usual manner, having a draining pan or reservoir 2 suitably placed, pro vided with a drain pipe 3. The water sup ply pipe 4. has a cut-off valve 5, Tronnee tions 6 and elbow 7. Nozzles 8 may be constructed of pipe reducing couplings and nipples, each provided with individual cutoff valves 9 and minute openings 10. lhe very fine stream of water forced upward through the said openings 10 impinges the surface of a properly aligned sphere or ball deflector 11, pendulously supported and suspended from the under side of a solid top shelf 15 for freedom of movement, the fine spray or mist thus formed at the top of the rack, envelops the articles placed upon the open shelf 16 and contained in trays 20 thereunder. The fine stream of water is thus caused to be deflected and sprayed in all directions, the ball affording a yielding resistance to the impact of the water therea ainst. Shelves 16 are preferably formed of small pipe or round metallic longitudinal cient weight of vegetables or moisture laden contents caused by the vaporizing of the said nozzle and device. Drip cup 12, having central opening 13 through which the fine stream of water emitted by the nozzle passes, collects the superfluous drops of water from the balls 11 and through pipe 14.- this water is carried to the drain pan 2. The said trays 20 are preferably made of a metallic frame and wire mesh preferably of approximately a quarter-inch mesh, they rest upon a shelf rack 21, above the bottom of drip pan 2 and are spaced away from the solid end walls 17 by the material in the perforations 18 being bent inwardly for that purpose. These trays are preferably made divided into various compartments as is shown in Fig. 4 having the cross section divisional sections prefer- 1 ably higher at the center 20. It is to be understood that these also may be divided into a different number of compartments if desired. Preferably they are made so as to be easily removed and easily cleaned and of such size and proportion as to uniformly fit the size of the display rack for whic they are intended. Shelf rack 21 is preferably composed of longitudinal members 21 with downwardly bent ends 21 for supporting cross-section members 21 above the bottom of drip pan 2. By this method of constructing and placing of the said trays, the spray or mist can circulate freely around I and through the trays and their contents.

The condensed spray willbe collected in the pan 2- and drain out through pipe 3. Baskets 19 are preferably constructed so as to provide a shallower end 19 and a deeper end 19 making the tops thereof approximately level for better display of larger vegetables, fruits and the like which. are to be kept dry, are arranged and placed as shown in'Figs. land 2, underneath the drip pan and which need not come in direct contact with the spray but can be kept fresh from the cooling, moisture-laden air of the display stand. The meshes are preferably approximately one-half inch; tho it may be varied as desired. Bunches of bananas can be suspended from the hangers 22 with like beneficial results. Should it be desired to clean out the drain pipe 3, all thatis necessary is to close valve 5, the open end of the said pipe 3 in the bottom of the drain pan 2 andopen valve 23 on pipe connecting water supply-pipe 4 and drain pipe 3, thus automatically flushing out the drain pipe. I also provide a water supply-pipe connection 24 on which to connect any desired water spray. The solid top shelf 15 may be used for baskets of merchandise to be displayed and kept fresh. \Vhile the invention herein illustrated shows a device accessible from all sides it can readily be seen, that with a few changes it may be used as a wall-fitting stand with equal efficiency. Since each nozzle is provided with a cut-off valve any one can be operated independently of the others or they may be operated collectively in different series as desired.

Having thus described my invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: Y

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a draining pan and pipe, a water supply-pipe having valve controlled nozzles directing a minute stream of water upwardly against a suspended deflecting ball and forming a fine mist or vapor spray, a drip cup, having a central aperture for the said upwardly directed minute stream of water, providing means for disposing of the surplus water from the axially located deflecting ball, means for pendulously suspending the said deflecting ball, said ball serving as freely-movable means for deflecting and diffusing the said spray.

2. In a device of the class described, comprising a water supply-pipe having a plurality of valve controlled nozzles connecting therewith, a round surfaced body pendulously-suspended in alinement above each of said nozzles, for receiving and vaporizing a minute stream therefrom, a drip cup adapted for catching the unvaporized portion of the stream, means for drainin said unvaporized portion therefrom, said rip cup having a central bore in alinement with said round surfaced body, for passing said minute 

